or-politics.com
November 9, 2015
THE heavy air pollution in northeast China is set to remain until Saturday, partially fueled by burning coal for public heating, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said yesterday.
Real-time data released by the Shenyang Environmental Protection Agency showed the density of the poisonous tiny airborne matters known as PM2.5 was more than 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter on Sunday.
In Shenyang, the levels of PM2.5 reached an even higher 1,157 micrograms per cubic meter on Sunday, reported The Telegraph newspaper.
Lei Chengrui, a researcher at the meteorological observatory in Harbin said: ‘Snow that started to fall on Sunday might help to reduce air pollution, but that effect is not sustainable when the temperature is expected to rise’.
The cities of Anshan, Tieling and Shenyang are all experiencing severe pollution with AQI levels of 500 and above. The ministry said traffic control measures had been in place since Friday.
The Shenyang city government said it was initiating a “level one red alert” emergency response, the highest level, telling schools to stop organising outdoor activities, and reminding residents to “take green transit”, stay indoors and “take health precautions”.
PM2.5 particulates can play a role in heart disease, strokes and lung ailments such as emphysema and lung cancer.
One study, published by the PLOSOne journal, showed that heavy air pollution in China is linked to around one in six premature deaths, killing about 1.6 million Chinese people each year.
“The air stings and makes my eyes and throat feels sore when I’m outdoors”, said a female resident who had to risk a quick trip outdoors to buy a mask.
Xia Qing, former president of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, said the emergency response protocols were not legally binding so they had only limited effect.
“It’s different from Beijing“.
Shenyang, an industrial city since the time of Mao Zedong, partially contributes to the industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust fumes that pollute Beijing and other cities.
In China’s northernmost province of Heilongjiang, winter heating has become the biggest cause of smog, with coal contributing about 40 percent of air pollution, according to the provincial environmental department.
